Fallen and Rising
by Elleon Stormwrath
Summary: With Kaname succeeding Shion for presidency, she seeks out an Etoile's former best friend for support. As she plots to gain the school's favor for the council, her success lies on two sneaky siblings.


Fallen and Rising

Disclaimer: I don't own Strawberry Panic, end of discussion.

Special thanks will be stated at the bottom after the Author's Notes.

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**Fallen and Rising**

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Chapter One: Inner Turmoil

A dark-haired girl sits silently inside her room, gazing out of the window to see the few students leaving the dorm to take an early breakfast. Some of them seem to be carrying a present most probably to be given to Spica's Prince and one of the current Etoiles, Ootori Amane. The name was imprinted on her mind like the deadliest poison. And deadliest poison it is for the said person has stolen the girl's roommate and love from her grasp. Oh, one cannot imagine how great Nanto Yaya's anger and resentment to the rider is. Yaya clenched her fist hard and punch the nearby wall. _'How could this happen to me? Why did Hikari pick Amane over me?'_ she thought, desperate for an answer, _'what does that large-headed, so-called prince have that I don't?!'_ Another punch to the wall was what followed. And another. And another. The dull thud of flesh against cement seems to have calmed the dark-haired girl even for quite a bit. But she was slightly panting nonetheless. A knock on the door was heard and she hesitated to open it. Faintly, she could see the shadows of two people by the door. _'If you're not my Hikari, I won't talk to you.'_ She mentally said. Another knock was heard, this time, louder. She didn't answer it again. "Nanto Yaya, as the president of Spica's student council, I demand that you open this door right now!" a semi-muffled voice shouted. Oh great, the notorious student council vice president, Kenjou Kaname, has succeeded Toumori Shion. What could be worse than this?

"Nanto-kun, if you don't open up this door, I'm afraid Kaname will really break it down." A softer voice said but laced with a slight hint of threat and malice. Yaya grumbled and stood up from where she was sitting. Grudgingly, she opened the door to see the famed evil duo of Spica, the taller, short-haired one glaring at her while the other just looked at her with a passive but somewhat political expression. "About time you opened up. We were sent here to question why you didn't attend not only your choir practice but also your academic classes for a whole week. Things aren't looking good on you ever since that whole Etoile fiasco, so you'd better sober up and get your butt moving."

The younger girl looked up to Kaname's eyes and replied, "Unlike you, I lost a very dear friend of mine. I'm not even sure if you know the meaning of loneliness and loss, so don't you come lecturing me. As for my studies, I can always drop out any time, right? I think it would be better. And if I'm dropping out, then that means I won't have to attend choir practice, will I?"

Momomi's face shifted from a passive face into one of pity. "You don't know Kaname so I best advise you to not delve in her past. As she said, we're only asked to question you about your studies. I fail to see how you mopping about your loss should result to you dropping out of school. That is just so childish. Believe me, Kaname and I have had worse. But if that's your decision, so be it. We'll make up an excuse that you refuse to talk or something like that. I'm giving you a week. Attend your classes, if not for academics then for the sake of appearance. Think this over." With that, the two older students walked wordlessly towards their next destination.

--

The two elder Spican students took their time in walking towards the kitchen of the dorm. That place is generally an "Authorized Personnel Only' area but both Kaname and Momomi serve as exceptions to the rule, mainly because they have contacts inside the kitchen. Stifling a yawn, the taller girl failed to see an almost equally tall girl approach her. Momomi, however, smiled at the sight of the already familiar face. "Ara, Kenjou-san, did Kiyashiki-san force you to stay up so late last night?" the newcomer said.

Almost immediately, Kaname opened her eyes to look directly at sea-green eyes. "Well, you're up early." Kaname started but was answered only by a shrug. "I do hope your brother is awake, though. I hope he wouldn't mind our presence."

"Oh, don't worry," the girl said, "he'd love the distraction. You know how he hates morning shifts." With a chuckle, the girl waved them off and headed towards the dorm rooms, possibly to visit a friend, while getting a few interesting glances from the early birds around.

"I swear natural charm runs in the blood. That girl has so many eyes glued to her every time." Momomi said after a short span of silence.

I swear that natural charm runs in her blood. That girl has so many eyes glued to her all the time."

"But it's still nowhere near our friend's. Hm, I wonder if we could ask her to help with the student council as well…" Kaname thoughts trailed off as she pushed opened the double swinging doors leading towards the kitchen. Once inside, both girls witnessed the hustle and bustle of the chefs preparing breakfast, to be served in an hour or so. They briefly caught the eye of a chef who pointed farther inside the kitchen, silently indicating where their friend is stationed. Kaname and Momomi nodded at the chef and proceeded into another section of the kitchen, careful not to disturb the other chefs carrying food trays. Their short walk abruptly stopped as they saw who they were looking for.

Their friend, the sous-chef, is busy barking out orders in a foreign tongue, obviously racing against time to complete the course for every student in the Strawberry Dorm, in the absence of the head chef. Both Kaname and Momomi watched with interest as he went from casserole to casserole, taste-testing the food to be served. It took a few moments for him to realize the figures watching him with evident amusement. Wiping his hands on a nearby clean towel, the sous-chef headed to where the duo stood waiting. "And what, may I ask, do I owe you, to have this special visit so early in the morning?" he said with a charming smile.

"Everything that has to do with our future plans for Spica's Institute for Girls. I know for a fact that you have done your research about the comings and goings around Spica. I'm sure you know of the person who I want in our council." The dark haired girl said.

"Why, Kaname-kun, I don't know of this person you are talking about. Perhaps you are sick or something for it is unusual that you are up at this hour." Amusement shone on the taller man's dark eyes as he talks to the girls. Just a few moments later, his cheerful atmosphere disappeared and was replaced with a more brooding aura. Closing his eyes and running a clean hand through his well-kept hair, he sighed and added, "Would the two of you please step outside through the backdoor while I fix up something for you to eat? I want discuss these matters with you in private, if you will." Kaname and Momomi nodded understandingly and followed as he asked while they shot glanced at the man going about his station once more before the backdoor closed on their sight of him.

Both girls spotted a wooden bench not far away from the door and under the shade of an oak tree when they exited the kitchen. Walking casually, Momomi engaged in conversation with Kaname about their plans for the future of Spica as a whole and the effects of it to the current Etoile. "They'll see how much of a fool they have been when they decided that Ootori Amane is the one who can make a difference. They'll realize too late of the greatness Nanto-kun holds. The Etoiles would no longer have the full support of Spica, for all will be directed to the student council. Those girls who are Amane's fans will suddenly turn their attention away from the horse-riding freak." Kaname said silently.

"Hm, that's a very ambitious dream." Their friend said from behind, holding a light tray of sandwiches and juice. Thoughtfully, he added," But I expected no less from someone with the likes of you Kaname-kun. But as you already know, you still have a few resources left at your disposal. Should you want to rush things, I'd be glad to help out."

The three of them sat at the bench after a moment's silence, only to be broken by Momomi, "Kaname told me all about your 'services' even before I met you. It seems that she isn't lying about your intelligence network. Anyway, we are here to talk about tactics, not the official service you are providing, if you please."

"As I said, you have some more resources left. Use them wisely. If they decline and you are left with nothing else, pay me a visit or have my sister relay it to me. I'm sure she'd be happy to help. I will only help according to the situation. Now, about those tactics you mentioned, would you mind telling me some so I can refine some points if possible?" A smile crept up the tall girl's lips as she told him their current situation.

--

Meanwhile, somewhere in the Strawberry Dorm, a pink-haired girl grumbles loudly as she is being forced to wake up by someone that seems like her classmate. "Tsubomi-chan," the girl started, "If you don't wake up now, who will bring breakfast to Nanto-sempai? You know how hard it is for her after Hikari-sempai left." Being prodded, no matter how gently, proves to be too much for the young girl as she slowly sat up on her bed, her whole body feeling as if it's made of lead.

"Hm, but Yasui-san, I was having a very nice dream. Why can't you let me be for once?" the newly awakened girl grumbled. She took in the figure of her friend seated by the side of her bed. Yasui is a full head taller than her, making Tsubomi quite uneasy when they walk side by side. Her frame is nothing of the frail type. Rather, Yasui's frame is well-built, to which Tsubomi assumed she practices some sort of martial art in secret. Her complexion is a light brown shade that neutralizes the white uniforms of Spica. Her natural hair is a color of pale to ash brown. Her most striking feature is her eyes. Yasui's sea-green eyes shine with deathly calmness and a touch of compassion, no matter how little it may be if you are speaking of compassion, that is.

"Ara, that won't do. Tsubomi-chan, I already brought the food prepared by the chefs. It was handed to me by Kenjou-oujisama." At the mere mention of the council president's name, the shorter girl demanded to know how her visitor knew Kaname. "Kenjou-oujisama is the one who took care of my papers when I transferred here. During that short span of time, we got to know each other. I must say I'm very impressed with Kenjou-oujisama's eloquence."

Okuwaka Tsubomi's jaw would have dropped to the floor, if not for its tight connection to her skull. _'Yasui-san certainly knows whom to make friends with. But she really must be wary of that person. No one, save her lover, knows what she's planning.'_ Even after some time, the girl still can't forgive her upperclassman for trying to rape Hikari for a number of times, even though they say it's "part of the president's plan". The pink-haired girl silently mused about the qualities that Kenjou Kaname possessed. She broke from her reverie when she noticed a hand waving in front of her. "Oh, alright, I'll give Yaya-sempai her breakfast once I get bathed and dressed." She was answered first by a soft thanks then a quick reminder that breakfast will start at about 45 minutes. Yasui then closed the door to give the shorter girl some privacy.

--

"Are you serious?!" Kaname looked at the man in her most disbelieving look. "You will risk getting yourself caught if things don't go as planned! What do you think I'll do then?" The blonde just smirked at Kaname's and Momomi's disapproving looks. With the right connections and a little pull on the right strings, he could easily return to his job at the Strawberry Dorm kitchen. And he knows this very well, having pulled similar stunts in the past.

"No worries, Kaname-kun. All I really need is for you to run out of resources or nearly run out of time. Should you choose to seek my services, I assure you that the gears of my network would turn inevitably. If, and only if, you haven't convinced Nanto-san yet." He stopped speaking for a while when a soft breeze passed under the oak tree's shade. "Remember Kaname-kun, you have a week. These things take time and patience, but that's why we're here. Rushing jobs is our specialty." With that, he stood up from where they were seated and motioned for the duo to do the same.

They paced towards the kitchen in quick, sure strides. Both Kaname and Momomi can't read the man's mind as his composure speaks nothing but plain impassive. _'Whatever he's thinking, it must be very confident for him not to tell us about it.' _Momomi thought.

"I appreciate you asking for my advice but I would rather have you start working on your plan. The sooner you get her to your side, the better." He said.

"You obviously don't like Amane, do you?" Kaname asked dryly.

"You'll know the reason for that soon. Just remember, use 'her' to your advantage. If she's the only one who you believe can convince Nanto-san about joining, then don't waste your time. Now, if you'll excuse me, I still have courses to prepare for the girls. Do drop by from time to time so we can have a worry-free meal." With that, he opened the door to the kitchen and went back to his station.

Letting out a sigh, the tall girl held Momomi's hand and lightly tugged at her arm, indicating that she wanted to go back to the dorm. The brunette smiled comfortingly at her, hoping to reassure her partner that everything will work out fine in the end. Kaname released another sigh as they left the kitchen and the dining area to head towards the stables.

--

Nanto Yaya silently fumes as she sits on her bed, still not wanting to go to her classes. She has somehow treated and bandaged her right hand's knuckles. _'Going to class in this condition would only make matters worse. I think I'll skip out once more.'_ The dark-haired girl thought. With a frustrated growl, she let her body drop on the bed, not caring if her shirt has somehow exposed her midriff. Yaya stares at the ceiling intently, hoping that it will fall on her if things don't go back to the way they were_. 'How pathetic. Here I am, wishing my death when I promised Hikari my support. Why can't I turn back time so Amane wouldn't be in the picture?'_ As she silently muses on a variety of problems at hand, Yaya had ignored the knocking on the door.

"Yaya-sempai! I know you're inside! Open the door already! I brought breakfast!" the familiar voice at the door nearly screamed. Sighing, the room's occupant got out of bed to open the door.

"Yeah, I'm up. What do you want?" Yaya asked nonchalantly.

"Sempai, I brought you some breakfast since my friend figured you wouldn't attend your classes today. Hm, you should see Yasui-chan sometime. She has an attitude suspiciously like that of Kenjou-sama, but I'm sure you'll get along fine." The pink-haired girl said, handing the bento to the taller girl. "Sempai, you really should go out sometime. And, I don't know, maybe sing with the Saintly Chorus again?" she added.

To this the older girl gazed at her with a slightly surprised expression. She has told the student council earlier that she is quitting the choir. She didn't lie. When she stared at the younger girl with a blank expression, Tsubomi continued, "You're the ace singer of the Saintly Chorus and yet you do not attend practice. Everyone in the choir is in a mixture of emotions. Some are happy because Konohana-sempai became Etoile and they are expecting a little bit more recognition from her position with Ootori-san watching them. Some feel otherwise. A select few grave your loss. These few are all so gloomy they can't sing properly without your radiance amidst them. And to think they're also the best ones around. It's you they are waiting for. It's you they would sing for, not Ootori-san."

For once, Yaya smiled a genuine smile. Those few that Tsubomi mentioned are the ones that made it to the choir the same time as her. Her relationship with them is at the borderline of acquaintance and friendship but they care for each other nonetheless. They are also the ones who know about the subtly hints Yaya had been directing towards Hikari. "As much as I'm quite happy with the news, I still can't come to class today." Yaya said but at the look that Tsubomi gave her, she added, "I'll try to go tomorrow, though. I'd bet that sensei of mine would explode once she sees me back in her class."

At her last statement, the younger girl couldn't help but giggle. _'Yaya-sempai is slowly becoming her usual self. Maybe in time she'll forget about Hikari-sempai and move on like I did.' _She thought. Tsubomi lectured the dark-haired girl about her studies in an almost motherly fashion. _'Just like old times.'_ She also mentioned attending choir practice once in a while to see how her former roommate has grown. Once done talking, she walked out of the classroom and towards the dining room to join the other students in breakfast.

--

The Spican student council pair walked purposefully back into their office at the administration building of their school. Much paperwork has to be done since they still have no executive director to take care of school matters. The Superior has already presented them with suitable candidates for the position but both refused, saying that they will have their selected candidate in a week's time. They arrive at the door of their office to see a young blonde leaning on the wall. Kaname and Momomi approached her rather quickly, wanting to know what news she has about Nanto Yaya.

"Rui-niisan said you work too slowly even though he said to take your time." She started casually, closing her sea-green orbs as she continues, "He already sent me to work my way to your last resource and get Nanto-san out of her bed. I trust you can work your magic into Tsubomi-san to help you out. She's pretty easy to talk to, given the right situation."

Kaname was about to ask something when Momomi stopped her. "And in what situation might that be?" the brunette asked.

"In Astraea Lake. Or somewhere with a body of water. I assume you would choose the lake, given that you two occasionally visit it when you have some time off." The girl answered.

"What of Nanto-kun?" Kaname said.

"Intel says she's reconsidered Tsubomi-san's offer to go to class. I think she might've seen the note Rui-niisan put in her bento. That should help you a little. This is part of the service, by the way. It's something he planned all along if you're wondering." The blonde says as she opens her eyes and pushes herself off the wall. "Now, if you excuse me, Sunfire has just arrived. I will be spending most of the morning trying to get her to settle down."

Kaname and Momomi watched as Yasui walks off further down the corridor and turns at a corner. The dark-haired student's forehead in crunched up in a suspicious manner so Momomi asks her why. "I don't exactly know how Rui manages to get that information. I'm starting to think he might have installed a complex surveillance system in the whole hill if he knows every little bit of what is happening." Was the reply she got.

Passing her palm on the other's forehead, the brunette ushered her partner inside their office to finish the paperwork and be in class on time.

--

Inside her room, another dark-haired girl held the note from the bento, staring at it for the past few minutes. What was written has puzzled her greatly but it also had made her reconsider her underclassman's proposition. She knew she still had a month to think about quitting school but somehow, she had the feeling that the note is from either Kaname or Momomi. Yaya slowly became furious at the desperation of the two but she realized that the writing is not as elegant as Kaname's, much less Momomi's. _'It looks more like a man's handwriting.' _She carefully studied the note once more, then, _'Yeah, definitely from a man. But who? And why this message?'_ various other questions ran through her mind as she reads, rereads and reads once more the message on the note.

'_Wouldn't it be nice if you could shine brighter than the Etoiles?'_

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To be continued…

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**Author's Notes:**

Okay, rambling time. 'Fallen and Rising' will be a multi-chapter fic from me with Nanto Yaya as the primary character and Kaname and Momomi taking equally major roles throughout the whole story. As some may have noticed, I have inserted original characters to help the story a little bit. Here is the information about them (and perhaps some spoiler alert):

_**Murasame Yorui**_ – Rui for short. He first appears as a chef with neat (as is required from chefs) blonde hair and cold blue eyes. He has a major role but in a subtle way. Rui acts like an underground man in the story with all his underhanded but safe planning.

_**Murasame Yasui**_ – Little sister of Rui who is currently enrolled in Spica's Institute for Girls. First appears as Tsubomi's classmate-friend. She has blonde hair but in a lighter shade than Rui's. Eye color is sea-green. Acts as Rui's primary "operative" in Spica. For a sneak preview, she loves her horse, Sunfire, and takes her out during the weekends.

Now that you know about them, let's move on to the story itself. This is somewhat a sequel to my other fanfic, 'Until Then, Farewell'. Really, it is! If you squint enough, that is. Oh, I decided to stop with the note thing because it isn't what I originally intended and am pretty satisfied with the way things are going. Oh, just so everyone knows, there will be no pairing in the story except Kaname x Momomi but even I decided to lower it a little because this fic will be Yaya-centric. I might put a little Amane x Hikari but we all know they're really a pair and that being Etoile gives them a right to be in the fic. To anyone who might review about making pairings, sorry, that won't happen. I also won't be adding anyone outside Spica expect maybe Minamoto Chikaru of Lu Lim. If you ask me why, it's because she rocks, end of discussion. The rest of the council will remain anonymous.

As for Yaya's, hopefully, future position, I chose Executive Director because that would deal with interacting with students, something Yaya never did, I think. If you have no idea how an Executive Director works, then watch Suzushiro Haruka of Mai HiME, but without the mispronounced terms. Besides, I think 'Executive Director' sounds a lot more respectable than a mere 'Secretary' (hint hint).

Now, I can't promise an early update because I still have to connect the next events toward the middle of the story which I pretty much have finished inside my head. How I wish I have a little bit more of creativity in my imagination… And now, onto the special thanks!

**Special Thanks:**

My very special thanks go to **Lestaki**, writer of 'Astraea Lake' and inspiration about the whole "let's shine brighter than the Etoiles" thing. 'Astraea Lake' is a nice piece of fanfiction featuring Kaname and Momomi in, probably, their younger years. It's also where I got the idea of their 'past'.

Special thanks to Raspberry-kun for having to suffer reading and editing this piece for the better.


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